Pilots

When asked about Gerry Molidor Jr., just about anyone who knows him will reply, "He's such a nice guy." Molidor can always find time to give a short aerobatics demonstration or a quick aerodynamics lesson.

Molidor has experienced just about everything civilian aviation has to offer. He was one of those airport kids — washing airplanes and bumming rides. After working as a lineman and obtaining his ratings, he began flying freight and giving flight instruction in Beloit, Wisconsin. As an invincible 17-year-old, Molidor read Duane Cole's Roll Around a Point: Aerobatics cover to cover. After chair-flying the maneuvers, he went up and taught himself aerobatics. In retrospect, Molidor admits that wasn't the smartest thing to do and he doesn't recommend that others try it. Despite his unusual approach, Molidor became proficient and soon began teaching aerobatics.

For Molidor, college meant taking classes between freight and charter flights. He often flew into Chicago O'Hare International Airport, where he regularly visited the United Airlines personnel office. On one visit, the irrepressible teenager, clad in long hair and blue jeans, presented flowers to a female employee he had befriended. Despite Molidor's impressive flight experience, the airline felt that, at 19, he was too young to haul passengers. However, the impression he made was not forgotten. During his senior year of college, he received a letter from United's personnel director, the same woman who had received the flowers, asking him to reapply.

After only a year with United, Molidor was furloughed. He returned to the charter company, only to see it go out of business. With the support of a client, Molidor set up his own charter company.

After two years managing and flying for his successful business, Molidor was burned out. He resigned and landed a corporate flying job with Anheuser-Busch. Four years later, United recalled the furloughed pilots. Molidor returned, but within six months, the pilots went on strike. About a week into the strike, Molidor received a call asking him to fly again at Anheuser-Busch. He jumped at the opportunity, but when the strike at United ended, he was torn. He didn't want to betray his relationship with the people at Anheuser-Busch. "They pulled me out of the dumps twice," he said.

Reluctantly, he returned to United, leaving behind corporate flying, but not his relationship with Anheuser-Busch. This time things started to go his way. Molidor bought a partially finished Christen Eagle. Eager to get back into aerobatics, Molidor quickly finished the airplane and began competing. In his first competition, he took second place in the Sportsman category at the International Aerobatic Club (IAC) Championship in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Molidor alternated years of moderate success with clean sweeps of nearly every competition. "In competition there are two finishes, first place and 'thanks for coming,'" he said.

Molidor sold the Eagle and began competing in a Pitts S-2B, capturing first place in the U.S. National Championship Advanced category for three consecutive years. After disappointment in the 1995 Advanced World Aerobatic Championship (AWAC), Molidor returned to international competition in 1997 as captain of the U.S. Advanced Aerobatic team.

To compete successfully, Molidor explained, it is necessary to "keep your mind in the kill zone. When you are in the zone, everything is focused. It's like being in slow motion; everything is in complete control," he said.

The U.S. team won the 1997 Gold Medal Trophy and Molidor's individual performance earned him three silver medals. But the 1997 season left Molidor mentally and financially exhausted. His Pitts had taken him to the top of the Advanced category, but it would take much more to win in Unlimited category competition. With the sponsorship of his friends at Anheuser-Busch, Molidor acquired a Sukhoi 26M. His next goal would be the Unlimited World Aerobatic title.

"I'd like to go up and ring that bell," he said. "It's a very formidable goal, but you have to try. You'll never make it if you don't try."

He gradually developed a feel for the Sukhoi and began competing in the Unlimited category, capturing state and regional titles in 2000 and 2001. But at the U.S. National Championship in September 2001, Molidor sustained a G-induced injury that forced him to retire.

He may have left competition, but Molidor is still actively involved in aerobatics. Besides teaching, he is president of the IAC and spent the past year organizing the 2003 World Aerobatic Championship, to be held from June 25 through July 4 in Lakeland, Florida.

Molidor's plane, The Bud Light Sukhoi, was bought by Anheuser-Busch and donated to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. It will be displayed at the museum's new Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

Who says nice guys finish last?